Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages–not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.
When one of the strangers–beautiful, haunted Akiva–fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
Daughter Of Smoke & Bone is a new favorite of mine. From the very beginning of this book I was captivated and I could not put it down. Now I am dying for more!
I don’t really know where to start with this review. Every aspect of the book was perfect: characters, plot, uniqueness (is that a word?), writing, and setting. Oh my gosh, that setting! I have never been to Prague but after reading this book I feel like I have. There, as well as Morocco and the worlds of the angels and chimaeras. Every place was so detailed and wonderful; The Poison Kitchen, Karou’s flat, the school, Brimstone’s shop, and the market in Marakesh. Can I please just live inside this book?
The characters were my second favorite thing. Every one of them was so unique and fun. Kishmish, Brimstone’s little messenger, was so cute. Issa was a bit scary but very loving with Karou. Brimstone was even scarier than Issa I would be terrified to come face-to-face with him but with Karou he was very caring and tender, even sweet at times. Karou herself was very likable. She was brave, smart, funny, talented, and all around kick-ass but underneath that she was lonely. Sure she had a great best friend, Zuzana, and her chimaera family but she didn’t have love. It was easy to relate to her. Then Akiva came into her life. Dangerous, sexy, sometimes sweet Akiva. Everything changed when Karou met him and that was when the story really took off.
The plot was interesting from the start but like I said, it really took off when Akiva entered the story. After that there was so much going on. There were battles, romantic scenes, glimpses of the past, and so much more. I never knew what was coming next and there was nothing about this book that I expected. The story was so unique and unlike anything I have ever read.
Overall, Daughter Of Smoke & Bone is one book that I have to recommend to EVERYONE! If you have it, read it now. If you don’t, go buy it! I can’t wait for the sequel. In the mean time I will have to check out Laini Taylor’s other books!